[8:09 PM] Capitals @ Flyers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Washington Capitals (19-8-3)

@ Philadelphia Flyers (19-11-4)

Starting Goalies:

Braden Holtby (WSH): Confirmed

Steve Mason (PHI): Confirmed

• The Washington Capitals maintained the upper hand against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16, posting a 2-0-2 mark in the season series before dispatching with their Metropolitan Division rivals after six spirited games in the first round of the playoffs. Washington looks to continue its run of good fortune at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday when the clubs play the first of four contests this season. Veteran Justin Williams scored a goal and set up three others in the season series versus Philadelphia and has rebounded from a brutal start to the 2016-17 campaign with seven points (five goals, two assists) in the past seven games. The former Flyer set up Nicklas Backstrom’s goal on a 5-on-3 advantage Saturday, but the Capitals saw their six-game winning streak come to a halt with a 2-1 setback to Montreal.

• Philadelphia knows a thing or two about streaks as it won 10 in a row before dropping its second straight with Monday’s 2-1 shootout loss to Nashville. which marked the end of a six-game home winning streak.

• Captain Alex Ovechkin and Backstrom have decimated Philadelphia in their respective careers, with the former collecting 48 points (31 goals, 17 assists) in 41 games while the latter has 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 34 contests. Backstrom’s ninth goal of the season gave him six points in his last six games and 18 in the past 16. The power-play tally was Washington’s seventh in five games, improving the club’s efficiency with the man advantage to 19.6 percent.

• Simmonds told Philly.com that he expects to play on Wednesday despite nursing an undisclosed injury. The 28-year-old, who has an NHL high-tying eight power-play goals among his team-leading 16 this season, has been held off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests after recording seven points (five goals, two assists) in his previous six games. The Flyers’ fifth-ranked power play has sputtered of late, going 0-for-11 in the last four contests after erupting for seven goals with the man advantage in the previous four.

• Washington F Evgeny Kuznetsov saw his six-game assist streak halted versus the Canadiens, but is a strong candidate to get it restarted on Wednesday as he set up five goals in four games versus Philadelphia last season.

StreakSmarts Pick: Washington Capitals

Confidence: 4/10